Advice Needed - 1979 California Bus

How about going old skool, replace FI with good old carbs, even an "upgrade" to 40mm dual Webers or dellortos? Won't be as 'advanced' as FI, but it will be pretty much bullet proof once dialed in. No electrical components to fail.

Or if EFI is a must, then maybe a MegaSquirt DIY kit would be a decent choice. You have the jets, the ECU is maybe 200-300 dollars. Original ECU is not used.

Jan

I would be very surprised if this turns out to be a bad ECU. If you decide to let the mech replace the ECU, insist on a money-back if the problem is not solved.

My first guess would have been the cyl head temp sensor, but I guess that has been ruled out.

Bad AFM? Maybe, though failures usually result in dodgy performance at certain throttle openings.

Often, poor contact in one of the plugs will cause just the symptoms you are seeing. The AFM plug is especially prone to this.

Don't forget ignition problems too. They can be intermittent like this.

Swap the other '79 parts in place? I think that's a good option. I'm pretty sure that you can simply plug the other ECU and AFM in to the existing harness.

The oxy sensor won't do anything and (maybe) the full throttle switch won't be effective. Shouldn't matter.

I don't see any downside to this swap, at least as a test.

On Type2.com, you can view the Bosch L-Jetronic FI Manual and there are diagrams for both the Federal and Cali models so you can compare the pinouts.

Speedy Jim

Uhh, allot of wantsers have been burned by the MegaSquirt, it takes serious dedication and a high level of understanding F.i.

It is better to opt for something simple(as in entry level), like an American made/supported make/system if you live in the U.S.A.

what's the name of the entry level unit, SDS?

I have a link somewhere if interested.

J.

Before you go to a great deal of trouble replacing the stock FI, first make sure that you have eliminated *all* potential sources of vacuum leaks. Check rubber seals and elbows closely for cracks that might not be obvious in a cursory inspection. Inspect your hoses to make sure thay haven't cracked at the ends or frayed in the middle. Check the torque on the mainifold-to-head nuts. Check your injector seals. You get the idea. Nearly 30 years is a long time to ask a rubber part to maintain any integrity.

On my '81 Vanagon (not too far removed from your '79) I had a recurring "lurching" problem which I traced to a crack on the underside of the rubber elbow which attaches to the upstream side of the Auxiliary Air Regulator. After replacing the part with the vastly inferior piece currently available from VW vendors the problem went away for a few months, then it returned. Upon inspection of the "new" part, I found more cracks. I resigned myself to buying these a few at a time, with the expectation that it was now a regular maintenance item (until I figure out a better solution).

Hope that helps, Lyle

First of all, Happy New Year to all of the prized consultants on RAMVA. Your advice on how to deal with my '79 California Bus has been helpful and much appreciated, as always.

That said, my Bus is still in the shop awaiting whatever solution eventually emerges - be it repair or replacement of the fuel injection system (and any related ignition components). I still want to hear more ideas on how best to proceed, though I suspect my mechanic Greg will craft a solution of some sort soon enough (even if only just to get the Bus out of his place!).

I'll post the details of whatever gets it running again properly when the Big Day happens. I suspect this problem is not so rare and unique and that whatever solution emerges may be helpful for various other late-model Buses.

-- Robert Winters, Cambridge MA

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